Filth in the Beauty
by LeMistressV
Summary: AU Enter Tifa Lockhart & Cloud Strife, deadly assassins for 2 rival factions. When a war breaks loose and betrayal on both sides surface, will these two enemies set aside their differences in order to stop a madman bent on killing them all? Reviews pls!
1. Awakening of the Sleeping Cobra

Filth in the Beauty

Written by LeMistressV

**Disclaimer**: I do not claim any ownership to any of the FFVII characters. They belong solely to Square-Enix, so please do not sue me. ^---^ Thank you.

**Summary**: Two rival organizations have finally come to grips with reality and have decided to come together on a truce. Realizing that they would both benefit one another, they agree on a time of peace, ceasing all conflicts and forgiving all previous wars. But not everyone is happy with this proposition, and with a new organization growing into power, things could get ugly. Now, it's up to two rival agents to prevent their diplomats from being assassinated before the peace treaty is drawn up. But can they both set aside their differences and cooperate on a mission to save both their organizations, or will their hate for one another consume them both?

* * *

Prologue

"It's good to see you again."

Lightning flashed, illuminating blue MAKO eyes. "Funny," came the reply as he coughed up blood, "the same could be said to you." He wiped his bloody mouth with the back of his hand, slowly rising up to stand.

There came a soft chuckle as a figure slinked through the shadows and made her way towards him. "I see you're looking well." The voice was soft and gentle.

He winced as the rain stung against his bloody wound. God, he needed a drink! Gritting his teeth, he leaned against the wall and stood up, clutching his shoulder. "Well, I've got _you_ to thank for that." He forced a mocking grin on his lips, ignoring the jolt of pain.

Again she chuckled, her voice almost drowned out by the raging thunder. "You're out of shape. Just what I'd expect from Shinra pigs like you. All talk and no substance. You're all a joke!"

"You know," he growled, an icy glare forming in his blue MAKO eyes, "you're _really_ starting to annoy me." Pressing against his wound, he bit his lip to keep from crying out. With a silent cry, he suppressed the wound with his hand and glared into unreadable eyes. "Fine then. Let's settle this now. Sudden death. No weapons."

A sigh escaped from her parted lips as lightning illuminated her pale face. "You're getting too cocky." She flexed her fingers and balled them into tight fists. "Very well, then. Let's finish this. The sooner I kill you, the sooner I get to sleep." And with that, she moved into a fighting stance, her fists raised before her. "Come and get me."

"Humph, ladies first," he remarked, moving to a fighting stance as well. For a long time he studied her, noting any flicker or trace of movement she made. Although young and possessing a rather thin frame, she was dangerous. He hated to admit it, but she was a formidable foe.

_This is going to be tough_, he thought, remembering his wounded shoulder. The bleeding had started again, and he was losing a great deal of blood.

She, although sporting a few bloody scratches and bruises around her body, had not been as badly wounded as he. She was going to be difficult to kill with just one good arm.

Suddenly, the world grew still as the rain continued to pelt at them in the darkness. But they stood in the rain completely motionless, eyes locked on one another with a blazing fury. One of them would die tonight.

She smirked. "Losing your nerve already?"

Lightning scorched the sky, and he was nowhere to be found. With a raging speed, he charged at her and kicked, ready to knock her onto the ground. But she was ready for the incoming blow and extended her leg out towards him quickly, countering the blow as she was knocked down.

He sailed across the rooftop and tumbled back from the impact. With a sharp gasp, he spat out blood from his mouth and stood up. But as he moved to take a step forward, a fist shot out from the darkness and aimed for his head. He feinted to his left and dodged the incoming blow.

Glass shattered from behind him as her fist made contact with a nearby window. From the looks of it, the blow would have been a fatal one if he had not dodged it.

Gritting his teeth, he threw his body against the ground and slapped it with both hands. In an instant, his arms went into shock and grew numb. Ignoring the uncomfortable feeling, he shifted all his weight to his arms and swung his legs over into the air, catching her by the ankles.

But the attack backfired, and he found himself pummeling against the metal wall. _God! She's fast!_ he thought as his head slammed against the wall in a sickening impact. In severe pain, he threw his head back and gasped sharply. He was done for now.

"Humph! That's all you've got?" she remarked with a disappointed sigh. Brushing her sopping wet hair away from her face, she walked over to him and looked him over carefully. "That blow should've killed you instantly. With those wounds and that collision, I'm surprised you're still alive."

He gave her no reply. He was in too much pain to sneer at her. Coughing up more blood, his vision began to blur. He was losing too much blood.

"A pity we had to enemies. I would've liked you if we were friends." She sighed and crouched over to him, a hand brushing against his cheek. Slowly, she cupped his face with one hand and shook her head. "I guess this is the end for you…_Seven_."

Shivers ran down his spine as her fingers brushed against his skin. Her touch was unusually gentle. As his vision began to fail, lightning struck, illuminating a pretty face.

And then the world grew pitch black, and the only sound ebbed forever in his memory was the sound of a gunshot.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**Awakening of the Sleeping Cobra**

Tifa Lockhart stirred quietly in her bed and rolled over to her back. Dark brown eyes peeked from underneath her eyelids and winced as the bright rays of sunlight penetrated her window curtains. With a sigh, she moved a pale hand up to brush her bangs aside, revealing a beautiful porcelain doll face. She was breathtaking even in her sleep.

Moaning softly, she sat up in her bed, a tumble of chocolate brown hair cascading down her shoulders. _Morning already?_ she thought quietly, slipping out of her bed. Yawning, she stretched her arms over her head and bent over. Normally, the pain in her muscles would be too great to allow her to move, let alone stretch. But now, she was accustomed to the pain, and hardly noticed her muscles protesting in her morning exercises.

Within a few minutes, Tifa held a satisfied look on her face, and quickly finished her morning stretch. Excited to start the new day, she hurried into her bathroom and prepared herself for the day ahead.

* * *

"I see someone's overslept."

Tifa acknowledged the greeting and smiled. Walking down the carpeted stairs slowly, she found a middle-aged man standing at the foot of the stairs, his dark eyes identical to hers. "Good morning, papa," she replied cheerfully, planting a small kiss on her father's cheek as she reached the end of the stairs. "I'm sorry I slept in this morning."

Her father waved a dismissive hand and shook his head. "You're so busy nowadays. You hardly ever come for a visit, and you're always so tired from what I hear," he remarked, watching his daughter move into the kitchen. "I'm just glad you're here. It's not everyday you young people spend time with an old geezer like me."

"You're not that old," Tifa replied, washing her hands in the faucet.

"It's been so long, now," her father said, rummaging through the cupboards and fishing out a few bowls.

Tifa smiled and tapped an egg against the counter. Cracking it open, she placed the contents into a bowl. "It's been…five years, hasn't it?"

A soft chuckle escaped from her father's lips as he scratched his head thoughtfully. "I forget that you've been buried under so much work. It's so hard to keep track of family and work at the same time. Especially what you do," he observed, watching Tifa whisk at the bowl quickly.

For a long time Tifa said nothing, her eyes focused completely on the bowl in her hands. It hurt to think about her father's struggle to remain calm even when his only daughter was in a dangerous position. His support was the only thing that kept her alive and sane. But she knew it was eating him inside.

Suddenly, a frown creased her father's eyebrows, and he rested a hand on his daughter's arm. "You know," he said slowly, "you don't have to make me breakfast. You're here on vacation. You shouldn't be bothering with the chores."

"Nonsense!" Tifa retorted, pouring the contents of her bowl into a frying pan. "You live here all by yourself. I feel guilty leaving you here all alone with no one to take care of you."

Her father shook his head in disapproval. "Who says I need to be looked after? I can take care of myself, you know. After all, I did raise you by myself. And look how spoiled you turned out to be," he teased, whisking the empty bowl into the sink.

Tifa gave a soft giggle and poked her omelet with a spatula. "You couldn't have brought me up any better," she replied, her father beaming with pride. "So stop worrying about me and sit down. Breakfast will be ready in a minute."

He hesitated, still watching her cook.

"I do this for fun, you know," Tifa said reassuringly. "The boys back at work are always hungry. I find myself so busy cooking for them, I hardly ever get any action out in the field." Finally turning to glance at her father, she made a face and poked him with the spatula. "Besides, all this special treatment's making me lazy. We wouldn't want _that_ now would we?"

Her father laughed in amusement and raised his hands up in defeat. "All right," he answered, "I'll leave you to your cooking. You always _were_ too stubborn to convince, anyway."

* * *

Tifa observed her surroundings quietly, a strong sense of nostalgia washing over her. Although she would _never_ admit it to her father, she had missed home desperately ever since she had left it. She loved Nibelheim. It had been her home for fifteen years. Her new home in Midgar came nowhere close to her beloved Nibelheim and its towering gray mountains.

Even in her absence, the sleepy town of Nibelheim did not change at all. The well at the center of the town was still standing on a tilt, and the cluttered wooden houses were still in tact. Even the old and abandoned Shinra Mansion still stood at the outskirts of the town, acting as a reminder of the dark ages long ago.

Tifa's spine tingled with distaste at the site. The thought of Shinra made her insides tighten. With her skin prickling uneasily, she turned away from the mansion, eager to keep her good mood for the rest of her vacation. Shinra was _not_ going to ruin her visit at Nibelheim no matter what!

"Tifa? Oh, my dear, is that really you?" a voice spoke up suddenly, breaking the silence.

Her train of thought interrupted, dark brown eyes turned to gaze at a middle-aged woman's face. The woman looked vaguely familiar. Tilting her head to the side, Tifa thought for a moment and scowled slightly. "Um, Mrs…?"

But before she could give a full reply, the woman gave a triumphant cry and clapped her hands together excitingly. "Oh! Oh! It _is_ you!" And with that, she hurried over to each house and wrapped her knuckles against the doors quickly. "It's the Lockhart girl, everyone! She's returned at last!"

Suddenly, the quiet town buzzed with life as people ran into the streets and murmured to one another as they caught a glimpse of the "Lockhart girl."

Tifa fought the urge to raise an eyebrow, a feeling of awkwardness coming over to her. _They act as if I'm some prodigal daughter or something,_ she thought quietly, waving at the gaping crowd. Never in her life did she think she was _this_ popular.

"My, how you've grown! Just look how pretty you are!" someone said in awe, examining Tifa from head to toe.

A hand clamped against Tifa's shoulder. "Are you here to settle down now, little lady?" a gruff voice remarked, shaking her gently.

Tifa gave a nervous chuckle as the man indicated to young man standing over to her right, smiling goofily at her. "Uh, let's not jump into conclusions too quickly," she replied, breaking out of the man's grasp.

"Are you staying long, dear?"

"What have you been doing all this time?"

"Have you been eating well?"

"What's the outside world like?"

As best as she could, Tifa remained with the curious crowd, explaining to her audience as much as she dared for them to hear without alarming them. It was best to give a vague answer than to get into details. She had no intention of disturbing the peace in Nibelheim any further.

For several more hours, the excitement continued throughout the town, Tifa's arrival being the center of every conversation now. Now even strangers stopped Tifa as she walked down the streets exploring. It surprised her how many recognized her from five years ago.

_"Feh. Always the popular one,"_ _Jessie had mused once._

Tifa shook the thought away, unable to keep herself from grinning. It was good to be back.

Suddenly, an abrupt ringing sounded loudly into the bustling atmosphere. Conversation soon died down as a few people jumped at the abrupt sound. Tifa, accustomed to the noise, gave no indication of shock and calmly plucked out her PHS from her pocket.

"Lockhart…"

For a long moment, no one spoke, all eyes curiously peering at Tifa and the device she held up to her ears.

Brown eyes soon narrowed, and all traces of a smile on her pretty face vanished. She was no longer the "Lockhart girl" the townspeople had been familiar with.

"…Yes…Understood."

Tifa ignored the stares her way and moved quickly away from the public eye. Slipping into an empty alleyway, she glanced at her surroundings cautiously before replying into the PHS once again.

"Tonight? Yes. Right away, then." And with that, she shut off her PHS and slipped it back into her pocket. With a sigh, she jogged back into her father's house, a look of disappointment on her face.

"So much for vacation time," she mused to herself, avoiding any lingering townspeople as she headed to her father's house.

It was time for another mission, and Tifa Lockhart was just the person to complete it.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hey, guys, I wrote this story a few years ago and never put it up for some reason. Anyway, I've decided to post up 2 chapters of this thing and see if people really like it. If people give me a good reaction I'll post up more. If not, meh, I'll take my time. We'll see. Also, the title is an homage to a certain Visual Kei Group. I'll totally give you props if you can figure out where's it from. I just thought of the title now, since this story's been untitled for the last 3 and a half years. Enjoy.


	2. SEVEN

**Chapter 2**

**SEVEN**

"Come on! One more shot!"

Cloud Strife looked over at his companion and shook his head reproachfully. "You've _got_ to be kidding me," he growled heatedly.

The noise in the room elevated. The excitement was building.

"What? You don't think he can take it?" Zack asked, his eyes never leaving the spectacle before them.

The noise buzzed into Cloud's ears. His head throbbed painfully from all the fiasco. "Against Rude, Reno's done for," he replied, looking bored. He wanted sleep, not entertainment. The last mission had been long and tiresome. It was no problem for a SOLDIER of his rank to be fussing about, but the traveling had made him sick. The last thing he needed now was to be squished into a room full of overexcited rookies.

Zack tore his gaze away from the commotion and shot his friend a skeptical look, misreading Cloud's bored expression. "Fine then. How much do you plan to wager on that?" he asked, a sly smirk creeping up the corners of his mouth.

"700 gil says Rude wins," Cloud answered automatically, not exactly paying attention to the shameless public display before them.

"Deal," Zack replied, shaking Cloud's hands in agreement.

And so the two SOLDIERs watched as Reno downed another shot of liquor and set the shot glass upside-down on the table. That was fourteen for him now.

Rude lifted his shot glass filled with liquor off the table and downed it quickly, setting the glass down on the table afterwards as well. But unlike his fellow Turk, Reno, Rude still held a stiff expression on his face. Fourteen shots of liquor was _nothing_ for him.

Reno, on the other hand, was growing unsteady with his grip. As he held up his shot glass, his hand shook, and liquor sloshed onto the table. By now his face was red, and his eyes were drooping.

"Reno! Reno!" the crowed cheered excitedly.

Reno downed the liquor but was unable to keep his head from drooping onto the table. Rude was the winner once again.

The room went wild. Half the room erupted in cheers, and the other half booed loudly. It was impossible to be heard in the room even by screaming.

Once the excitement died down, Cloud rose up from his seat and clapped a hand on Zack's shoulder. "That's 700 gil. I'll be collecting my winnings tomorrow." And with that, he was out of the boisterous bar, no longer able to take the ruckus.

The world grew silent as the blond stepped into the deserted streets of Junon. All the fuss and racket seemed to have drowned away as the sound of the ocean echoed into the night air. It was a soothing sound, much more comforting than the yelling of Shinra workers.

Taking a deep breath, Cloud stuffed his hands into his pockets and strolled silently to his luxurious condominium. As he reached his door, he fumbled for his keycard in his pocket and swiped it against the lock. In an instant, the door swung open, and he was free to collapse into the room if he wished.

It had been a long month. Mission after mission, there was no end to the sleepless nights Cloud was forced to endure away from home. From cover-up scandals to assassinations, Cloud was all but thrilled about his tiring job. Ever since the Great Sephiroth disappeared, Cloud had been appointed as Sephiroth's replacement and was now handling more than what he bargained for. Life was hell for him now.

_You were the one who wanted this, you know,_ a voice spoke up in his head. Cloud groaned and ran his fingers through his hair. Maybe he should've just applied for a desk job instead.

With a loud plop, he tumbled into his bed and rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. For a long time, he gazed out into space, thinking of nothing in particular. Then, with a sigh, he turned his gaze over to the side and caught sight of a familiar picture frame standing against his table lamp. Reaching for the frame, he recognized the picture and stared at it.

Identical MAKO blue eyes stared back at him reproachfully, dulled from the weariness of battle. His face was stern and irritable, as if he resented the photographer of the picture. By his side was a beautiful woman with amber eyes and faded blond hair. Unlike Cloud, she held a mischievous smile on her ruby red lips as she wrapped her arms around Cloud's neck with one foot popped up playfully into the air.

Cloud blinked and set the picture face down on his bed. Closing his eyes, he shook his head and rolled over to his side. The picture had been taken a year ago, a few months before the crushing breakup. _It was a mutual agreement…whatever that means,_ Cloud mused silently to himself. He, incapable of settling down, wanted out in the relationship as soon as possible. _She_, on the other hand, wanted someone who was actually around to _have_ a relationship with.

_We both got what we wanted, right?_

It was the last thing in Cloud's mind before he drifted off to sleep at last.

* * *

The phone rang abruptly, disrupting the dull silence in the condo instantaneously.

Cloud immediately jolted awake and tumbled out of bed, his senses alert. Years of training in SOLDIER and experience had made him paranoid in his sleep. Even the phone was something to be suspicious about.

The ringing continued to blare out as Cloud glared furiously at the phone. With a pained groan, he reached over for it and held it up to his ear.

"Strife," he croaked sleepily.

For a long moment there was no answer from the other line. But as Cloud was about to slam the phone back into the cradle, a soft voice finally spoke up, stopping him.

"I see you're back," a deep voice spoke gently.

Cloud suppressed a yawn and ruffled his tousled blond hair. "Just arrived a few hours ago," he replied, lowering himself onto his bed. "I hope you're not calling just to say 'hello.'"

"Well I missed you."

There was no trace of humor in the speaker's voice, but Cloud knew better then to actually take the comment seriously.

Cloud sighed and shook his head in disbelief. "It's not like you to joke. It's kind of creepy. What do you want?"

"Urgent news. It's important that you hear it," the speaker answered calmly.

Unable to suppress his reluctance, the blond groaned. "And this couldn't wait until morning?" he glowered, exhausted.

"I'm afraid not. It's top priority on the president's list," the speaker explained. "It's a little last minute, but the president's set up an emergency meeting, and he wants you to attend."

Cloud scowled. "What? But I'm not a diplomat! And he knows that."

"The president has made it clear that he wants you to be present at the meeting. Perhaps he is concerned for his safety."

_So what am I now? His bodyguard?_ the blond thought irritably as he continued to listen to the speaker on the other line.

"I have already requested the president that you be filled in on the details after you've been well rested. But the president is determined that this meeting cannot wait. Apparently, this is a great deal of importance for him." And before Cloud could protest, he added, "I know you don't like these sort of formalities, but it is imperative you attend. I can't cover for you this time."

Cloud was done for now. The president's meetings were never about good news, especially when he wanted SOLDIER involved. _That_ usually meant that he wanted another person killed. Cloud was _never_ going to get any sleep now.

"Fine," the blonde croaked reluctantly, "I'll be there. What time is it going to be?"

"Be ready by 7 a.m. You _won't_ be late." And with that, the speaker hung up before Cloud could reply.

_7 a.m.__?_ Cloud thought in dismay as he placed the phone back in its receiver. With a sigh, he looked over at his watch and groaned. It was 4:59. He was _never_ going to get any sleep now.

Groaning, Cloud eased himself off the bed and rubbed his eyes. "I need a shower…"

* * *

** _"It's good to see you again."_**

Cloud awoke with a start and jolted to an upright position. Running a hand against his forehead, he breathed a sigh of relief. He had been dreaming again, dreaming of that scene that had haunted him for the last six years.

_What happened back then? I'm supposed to be dead, right?_ he thought, remembering the bullet fired his way.

Completely engulfed in his thoughts, Cloud failed to realize crimson eyes watching him from the shadows. Finally looking up, Cloud blinked his fatigue away and swore loudly. "Jesus!" he gasped, recognizing the figure in the darkness.

"You're good," came the morose voice. Stepping into view, Vincent Valentine folded his arms over his chest and looked the SOLDIER over quietly.

"How the _hell_ did _you_ get in here?" Cloud demanded in frustration, scrambling out of his bed.

Vincent held up a set of keycards and dangled them over Cloud's nose. "You forget that I used to be of importance to this incorporation," he remarked calmly, his face expressionless.

"_Used _to be," muttered the distraught SOLDIER. Shoving Vincent out of his way, he fumbled blindly in the dark for his clothes. "Just what the hell gives you the right to be in here anyway?" he grumbled, shoving a boot up his foot.

Vincent raised an eyebrow. "I'm your escort for the day. The president was very…_clear_ about your punctuality."

* * *

* * *

**Author's Note**: I hope that caught you hooked to this story. I really need your input guys. Love it? Hate it? Come on, I need to know otherwise I won't know if people are interested in actually reading this.


	3. Slithering Cobra

**Chapter 3**

**Slithering Cobra**

Her father shot her a quizzical look as she scrambled back into the house and bolted into her room. Without a word, he followed her up the stairs and watched as she hastily began to pack.

"I had hoped you would stay for dinner," he finally said, entering the room. Leaning against the doorframe, he gave a disappointed sigh and shook his head.

Tifa looked up from her packing and gave her father a rueful smile. "I'm sorry. I didn't plan on this, but something's come up and–"

Her father raised a hand to silence her. Shaking his head, he replied calmly, "You don't have to explain yourself. You're a grown woman now. You made up your mind a long time ago. Nothing I could say or do will make you change it."

Tifa chuckled softly as she zipped her luggage closed. "I help make the world a better place, papa. It's just something I do," she admitted, hauling her luggage off the bed.

A hand clapped against her shoulder. Brown eyes soon met identical ones. "Take care, Tifa. It was good to see you even on such short notice."

Tifa smiled and gave her father's hand a quick squeeze before descending the stairs. "I'll be fine, papa," she answered, reaching the foot of the stairs. "After all, I am the best there is."

* * *

"Okay, so what've we got so far?"

Barret leaned against the table as he peered closely at the T.V. screen. Shinra Inc. was up to something. _That_ he knew.

"Clean. Everything checked off, boss," came the reply.

Barret blinked for a moment and cleared his throat. "Clean?" he repeated doubtfully. There was no such thing as "clean" when it came to Shinra. Something _definitely_ wasn't right.

The woman at the computer nodded and held up a sheet of paper before Barret's face. "Clear as crystal, boss. I tapped into their phone lines and everything. Nothing out of the ordinary as far as we're concerned," she assured the big man as she slid the sheet of paper across the table.

Barret scowled, a look of discontent rising to his face. Scratching his chin with his good hand, he remarked, "'Clean' always means somethin' fishy's goin' on. 'Clean' means your report ain't accurate."

"But–"

"Check again," the big man growled impatiently, ending the discussion before the woman could protest.

The woman glared angrily at him and stomped back to her seat at the computer. Irritably, she punched at each key she hit on the keyboard and grumbled to herself as an act of disapproval.

Barret ignored the woman's keyboard thumping and scratched his chin once again. God, he needed sleep. "Will anyone get me some goddamn aspirin?!" he roared impatiently, startling the workers around him. "What the hell are ya starin' at?! Get me my fuckin' aspirin and get back to work!"

Within seconds, new recruits scrambled out of the room in search of a bottle of aspirin. The boss in a bad mood was worse than 10 SOLDIERs combined. It was better to do what he pleased than defy him.

"Jesus, Barret. No need to get all upset," a new voice spoke up as a dull hum echoed into the room.

The leader of AVALANCHE glared moodily at the platform descending from the ceiling and narrowed his beady eyes. Tall, muscular, and sporting a new tan, Barret knew it was none other than Biggs, one of AVALANCHE's agents. Without saying a word, Barret raised his gun arm towards Biggs and opened fire.

The floor rattled loudly as bullets ricocheted onto its surface.

Biggs yelped and jumped back, avoiding the bullets just in time. "Shit! I was just kidding!" he screamed as Barret lowered his gun arm.

"The boss is in another one of his moods," a rather chubby looking man remarked, munching on a hotdog.

"The boss is just being a baby," the woman growled, still jamming her fingers against the keyboard. "He's just throwing another one of his tantrums." Making a face, she tore paper out of the printer and shoved the results into Barret's gun arm as he raised it towards her. "_Clean_! Just like I _said_ they were. I think you owe _me_ an apology!"

For a long moment, Barret said nothing as he glared at the woman. Grabbing the paper, he perused through it and sighed reluctantly. "Don't look so smug, Jessie," he growled, giving a nod.

Jessie smirked and moved back to her workstation, a triumphant look on her face. It was no wonder she was the second favorite in AVALANCHE.

Barret rubbed his gun arm eagerly as he took a deep breath. After chugging down a whole glass of water with several aspirin tablets in his hand, he turned to Wedge and asked, "Any word from Cobra?"

"Not since three hours ago," Wedge replied through a mouthful of food. He proceeded to take another large bite out of his hotdog and began to mumble a few incoherent words in the process. "Shmmshim…shid…"

Barret glared at Wedge silently, a vein throbbing in his head. It was bad enough that the chewing always irritated him, but Wedge _always_ talked with his mouthful. But what could he do about it? Wedge was brilliant even with a half-macerated cow rolling in his wide-open trap.

With only a disapproving look to show Barret's frustration, he glanced at his watch and growled, "How much longer?"

Jessie elbowed Wedge against the rib, forcing him to swallow his food before giving a reply. "Well, it's about a three hour ride on the Highwind, boss," he said, dumping sauerkraut onto his food. "But from the looks of it, I think Cobra's a _little_ bit upset with you. See, from the last call I got, Cobra mentioned taking a chocobo back to Midgar instead."

The vein in Barret's head pulsated and grew as he slammed his fist against the table. "WHAT?! That's going to take forever! Are you fuckin' kiddin' me?! I want Cobra here ASAP! I don't care _what_ it takes! Just get Cobra here _now_!"

Wedge resisted the urge of giving the boss one of his snide comments. Now was not the time to get on the boss's nerves. Instead, he winced as Barret's voice echoed throughout the metallic walls. Clearing his throat, he added, "Well, I've already taken measures to send Cid to locate Cobra, so there's nothing else we can really do about it."

"Fine! Do whatever it takes! Just get Cobra over here!" Barret snarled, heading over to the platform Biggs had arrived from.

Biggs raised an eyebrow as he watched the platform ascend back up the ceiling. "Where you goin', boss?" he asked curiously.

"I got a meeting I gotta get to." And with that, he was gone.

Biggs turned to Jessie and Wedge and walked over to them. "Is it just me, or has the boss been acting weird lately?"

* * *

Cloud stretched his arms in the car seat, trying to fight the urge to doze off. Even with the cold air against his face and the bright rays of light peaking over the horizon, he still felt exhausted. "Yeah, so what's this meeting all about again?" he managed to ask after a large yawn escaped his lips.

"Who knows," Vincent replied driving through the cluttered streets of Midgar. "I'm just the chauffeur nowadays. I'm of no use to Shinra any longer."

A scowl crept onto the pallid SOLDIER's face as he gazed at his friend. There was no way in hell Shinra could simply discard Vincent Valentine. He had been the president's favorite Turk, and knew many more secrets and scandals in Shinra than any other employee in the corporation. Resigned or not, Vincent was a valuable asset to the corporation.

"Yeah right," Cloud grumbled, shaking his head. "Fat chance they'll ever think of getting rid of you. You're being modest again."

A grin edged at the corners of the former Turk's mouth, hinting that he was slightly amused. "Very well, then, if you insist on knowing…The president was very discreet about leaking any information to me, but from my sources, it's most likely about AVALANCHE."

The blond SOLDIER rolled his eyes, giving a reluctant groan. "Tch. It's _always_ about AVALANCHE. What else is new?" he grumbled, sweeping his hair back away from his face. "Personally, I could care less."

"AVALANCHE _is _Shinra's biggest problem," Vincent pointed out calmly. Glancing up at the rear view mirror, a thoughtful look crossed his bloodshot crimson eyes. "I'm afraid Shinra hired you for your skill, _not_ for your opinions. Besides, you seemed eager to go head to head with AVALANCHE before." He turned to glance at Cloud, his eyes unreadable. When Cloud did not reply, he added, "You were such a pesky child back then. Always so excited for action. Always trailing behind the Great Sephiroth's footsteps. I think I liked you better then."

"I got _bored_," Cloud replied coolly, staring outside the window, the scowl still planted firmly on his face.

"Find a hobby then," Vincent suggested bluntly. "I very much doubt the president will take that 'I'm bored' excuse seriously. You are, after all, the new Head of SOLDIER. You ought to stop avoiding all these issues with AVALANCHE."

Cloud continued to scowl as he finally turned to face Vincent. "It's the Turks' job to deal with AVALANCHE, not mine," he snapped frostily. "You of all people should know that."

Vincent nodded in agreement. "Touché," he said, turning the steering wheel. "My apologies. Old habits of mine slip up once in a while. It's difficult not having to report facts everyday. But to be honest, Cloud, you _have_ changed."

Cloud's blue MAKO eyes gave off a dangerous glow. "I'm not the only one who's changed, you know," he remarked bitterly. "_You_ seem to be all nosey lately. Ever since your–"

"Enough," Vincent interrupted, his deep voice growing quiet. "It was wrong of me to pry. I assure you, it will not be something I shall do again." And that was the end of the conversation.

* * *

Shinra Building had once been the most dominating piece of architecture ever to be made on the face of the Earth. Soaring at over 60 stories, it was a proud and frightening sight for the people of Midgar. It became the centerpiece of power, a place where Shinra held its most prestigious business transactions and most discreet operations. Shinra Building was Shinra Inc.'s pride, drawing envious longing from rival corporations. No man, scientist, or architect could match such a feat as the Shinra Building, for only its founding engineers and architects had the blueprints to its creation.

But in the days of turmoil and war, Shinra Building was no longer the pride of Midgar civilians. Instead, the building was mostly left in ruins, deserted by its many admirers. Now, only Shinra employees remained in the building, and security was tighter than ever.

Biggs's head peeked out from under the manhole, counting the Shinra guards stationed at each entrance of the building. From the looks of it, there would be no way of getting into the building without running into the guards.

"Shit, we did this to ourselves," he grumbled irritably.

"What'd you expect?" a voice spoke up from behind Biggs's earpiece. "After our last bombing of the building, of course Shinra's going to tighten up security."

Biggs swore under his breath and climbed back down the ladder again. "I thought the point of the bombing was to scare people away from this place," he grumbled under his breath. Taking a deep breath, he signaled for his team to back away from the ladder. "So what now?"

"Well, Barret said that he'd be at the building at this time," came the reply. "But I haven't gotten anything from him yet."

"Jesus," Biggs remarked, shaking his head. "What if something's happened to him? Are we supposed to wait here?"

"Hey, I'm just telling you what Barret told me."

Biggs sighed and leaned against the ladder, rolling his eyes. "Great. A stake out," he muttered irritably. "Any news from Cobra, Wedge?"

"Cobra was here an hour ago asking for Barret. I told Cobra that I haven't gotten anything from Barret ever since he left for the building, which was about 3 hours ago."

"Shit! Something's happened then!"

* * *

The atmosphere was tense as guards lined up against the walls, guns loaded and ready to shoot anyone deemed as a threat (which was basically almost everyone). There was no way to access the building without passing through security.

"Freeze!"

Guns were cocked and pointed directly at the sound of approaching footsteps. Alarmed, an old woman gasped and shot her hands up into the air, her eyes wide with fear. The guards looked at her carefully, checking if she was any threat.

"Ma'am, turn a full three hundred-sixty degree turn," one guard said gruffly, his gun still pointed towards her.

The middle-aged woman quickly complied, turning around several times. As she turned, she revealed a faded business suit, a dark wool scarf around her neck, and small rectangular glasses framing her face.

After turning for a fourth time, the guard finally ordered her to stop and face him as he approached her. "Okay, ma'am, we'll need to know if you're carrying any weapons," he said sternly, holding his hand up towards her.

"Oh!" The woman fumbled in her pockets for a moment before finally fishing out a dull edged nail file with a mirror behind it. Holding it up to the guard, she asked, "You mean like this old thing?"

Sighing, the guard snatched the nail file away from the woman and shoved it in his pocket. "That's considered a weapon, ma'am. You're going to have to live without it. Now, what's your business here?"

Hands trembling, the woman stammered nervously, "Uh, w-well, I work here." Once again she fumbled through her pockets and pulled out an ID. "I was specifically requested by the president to show up today."

Once again, the guard snatched the ID from her hand and inspected it carefully, scowling at the face in the ID and then to the woman standing before him. With one hand, he motioned for another guard to come over, handing him the ID to scrutinize.

The second guard produced a portable device from his pocket and scanned the ID with it. After a few seconds, a green light lit the device's screen, followed by a loud "blip."

"Clear. Just one more scan," the first guard grumbled, taking another portable device hanging from his belt. Once again, he checked for any hidden weapons the woman may have "neglected" to mention. He found none.

"You're free to go in now, ma'am," the guard said, stepping out of the woman's way.

The woman retrieved her ID from the second guard and gave him a courteous smile. "Thank you, boys. With you guys here, I don't have to worry about an attack here." And with that, she walked into the building, a triumphant smile on her lips.

* * *

The trip to Shinra Building was met with complete silence as Cloud and Vincent flew past the slums and towards the upper levels of Midgar. The silence had been long and uncomfortable, and neither Cloud nor Vincent could think of anything to break the tension. Thus, once in front of the building, Cloud was relieved to find himself busy with security.

"Has anyone else arrived?" Cloud asked, turning over to the cranky guard in charge of security.

"Yeah, the president's already here, and so are the rest of his associates," he replied, scanning Cloud's ID.

Cloud gave a nod of approval and walked past the guards, taking his ID with him.

"Uh…sir?"

Cloud glanced over his shoulder. "What is it?"

"Uh, well, another person arrived here just before the two of you," the guard confessed, scratching his head. "Her ID was clear and everything, so I let her in. She said the president had requested her to come in."

Cloud was in no mood to be acting as some bodyguard. "I'm sure the president has his reasons," the SOLDIER remarked, turning back to follow Vincent into the elevator. "What was her name?" he asked out of reflex.

The guard scratched his head again and thought for a moment before giving an answer. "It was…uh…"

Even without an answer, Cloud knew something was wrong. Shaking his head, he strode into the elevator. "Never mind," he said, not wanting a whole panic scene to ensue. "She's probably just a secretary."

As the elevator doors closed, Cloud scowled to himself. The guards had most likely allowed a member of AVALANCHE to slip through security. The SOLDIER sighed. It was going to be a _long_ day.


	4. Fangs of a Cobra

**Chapter 4**

**Fangs of a Cobra**

Cloud followed Vincent through the floor, watching him arrive before the giant metal doors. But as Vincent was about to push the doors aside, Cloud stopped him briskly and shook his head.

"AVALANCHE is here," he whispered quietly, his MAKO blue eyes glowing.

Vincent studied Cloud's expression for a moment before nodding. Taking a step back away from the metal doors, he inquired, "Should I alert the president?"

Before Cloud could give a response, an old woman emerged around the corner and strode over to where Cloud and Vincent were standing. "E-excuse me, but is this the meeting room?" she asked, wringing her hands nervously.

Cloud sighed, shook his head with disapproval, and peeked inside the meeting room, ignoring the woman. _Let Vincent deal with her_, he thought, observing the occupants in the room.

The president of Shinra Inc. was sitting at the head of the table, as usual. He looked cool and collective, as he always did, when waiting for his associates to settle down. Standing beside him was Tseng, head of the Turks, a stern scowl on his face. Seated at the table on the president's right was the conniving Heidegger, guffawing stupidly, as usual. To the left of the president was the treacherous tart, Scarlet, a woman Cloud refused to date under any circumstance.

"…new worker?"

Vincent's voice called Cloud's attention back to the woman, causing him to look away from the meeting room.

"Y-yes. I just transferred here," came the reply.

Cloud blinked as he listened to the woman speak. There was an odd gentleness to her voice. It sounded rather…familiar. Shifting his calculating gaze over to the woman's face, he carefully studied her.

She looked frail and exhausted. Her face was wrinkled and pale, and streaks of gray lined around her dark hair. She looked hideous.

"The meeting room is right this way," Vincent said, moving out of the woman's way.

The woman gave a grateful nod before walking into the room. "Thank you so much. It's so embarrassing to be lost like this!" And with that, she headed towards the meeting room, her eyes meeting Cloud's for a split second.

An alarm suddenly sounded off in Cloud's mind as dark brown eyes met his gaze for a brief moment. In an instant, he lunged for the woman's wrist and yanked her away from the metal doors. Without any hesitation, he threw her against the wall, watching her sink onto the floor.

Vincent raised an eyebrow. "Cloud! What are you doing?"

"Tell the president that AVALANCHE has breached security!" Cloud ordered, pinning the woman down onto the floor.

The woman winced as the SOLDIER twisted her wrist, but no scream emerged from her lips. Instead, she raised her knee up against Cloud's chest and threw him over her head, sending him flying off towards the wall.

Cloud's reflexes kicked in, and he slapped his hands against the wall, dulling the impact.

The woman took advantage of the moment and hurried towards the meeting room. But as she made it towards the room's entrance, the giant metal doors swung close, preventing her from entering. Now she was in trouble, especially with over a dozen Shinra guards now surrounding her.

"Freeze!" the guards chimed in together, pointing their guns towards her.

The woman flashed them a grin with her pearly white teeth and sprinted to the corridor left of the meeting room, dodging the bullets fired towards her.

_Pretty fast for an old lady,_ Cloud thought, holding a hand to stop the gunfire. He then proceeded to chase after the old woman. Behind him, a few guards followed, guns out and ready to fire.

The agent turned a sharp corner and dashed out of sight for the time being. As Cloud and the guards pursued around the corner, something whizzed into the air and flew towards one of the guards. Cloud jerked over to the side, avoiding the flying object in mere seconds. But before he could shout a warning to the others, there came a sick crunch, and the guard behind him tumbled back, lying completely motionless. He was dead, with the heel of a shoe buried deep into his forehead.

Cloud cursed to himself and sprinted faster, catching up to the femme fatale. As quick as lightning, he whipped out his sword and slashed at the cables against the walls. In an instant, large, wooden crates came crashing down onto the ground, just a few inches in front of the agent.

The woman gasped and came to a halt as more crates came crashing down towards her. Quickly, she jumped out of the way, just in time before the crate above her head shattered against the floor.

"We got her now!" a guard cheered, cocking his gun. "Let's shoot this bitch!" And with that, he charged ahead recklessly.

Movement caught Cloud's eyes and he held up his hand to stop the charging guard. "No! Wait!"

Too late.

A yo-yo whirled out of the woman's hand and struck the gun out of the guard's grip. With another tug, of the yo-yo, the gun came flying into the woman's outstretched hand. Within a split second, she pulled the trigger, shooting the guard in the heart before he could even react. He was dead before he hit the floor.

Dark brown eyes glared at the crowd of guards defiantly. "Who's next?" she spoke up, aiming the gun at a nearby guard.

Cloud raised his sword at the agent. "You're trapped. Quit while you're still breathing," he warned calmly. With one hand, he motioned for the rest of the guards to point their guns towards her. "You're dead either way."

The woman studied the guards carefully before finally resting her gaze on Cloud. "Is _this_ all you're threatening me with? A few scared boys with guns as their only defense?" she asked, still pointing the gun at one guard.

"Well it seems to be working," Cloud pointed out, his gaze never leaving hers. There was something very familiar about her.

Dark brown eyes glinted dangerously. "Hmm, let's test that, shall we?" And with that, she began to squeeze the trigger.

"Enough!"

Everyone froze as the new voice shook the room with a commanding power. Cloud felt a shiver run down his spine. It was not a voice he heard often. But when he _was_ present to hear it, he knew it could only mean trouble.

The room grew still as a young man emerged at the end of the room dressed in a casual white suit. His blond hair was slicked back and gelled into place, accenting his calculating blue eyes. He was incredibly handsome, with a very strong bone structure about him. He had high cheekbones, a prominent chin, and a firm mouth. He looked like the type who could manipulate a crowd not only with his looks, but with charm and poise.

The guards soon broke into quiet murmurs and made a pathway for the gentleman to walk through as he approached.

"I take it you're the trouble maker," the gentleman remarked, looking the woman over briefly. "Well you must be the infamous Cobra I've been hearing about lately."

Brown eyes widened with surprise, and the woman pointed the gun at the stranger. "And just _who_ are you?"

He chuckled. "You really are new after all," came the reply. "I am Rufus Shinra, son of the founder of this incorporation."

_Oh boy, he's at it again,_ Cloud thought, knowing Rufus all too well. Stepping over to the president's son, he cleared his throat and scowled. "What are you doing?"

Again Rufus chuckled, running his hand through his hair. "You've proved my research to be quite accurate, you two. I knew I wouldn't be disappointed," he replied calmly, untroubled by the gun pointed his way.

Cobra and Cloud blinked for a moment, gaping at Rufus in bewilderment. Then, in one brief and unusual moment, she and Cloud exchanged looks, both clearly puzzled.

"What are you talking about?" Cloud asked, wondering what kind of stunt Rufus was up to now.

"Oh, just business, of course," Rufus said as if he were in a normal conversation. He then turned back to glance at Cobra and raised an eyebrow. "There really is no need for any animosity here. Put your weapons down. They're giving me a headache."

* * *

Cobra tightened her grip on the gun and glared frostily at the heir to Shinra Inc. "What are you talking about? What the _hell_ is he talking about?" she demanded, turning to glare accusingly at Cloud, gun still pointing at Rufus.

"Hey," Cloud remarked just as coldly, "This isn't exactly my–"

"Please." There was a dangerous rumble in Rufus's voice. It was subtle, but still distinguishable. "There really is no need for hostility anymore. Put the gun down."

Cobra turned back to glare at Rufus and raised an eyebrow. "The _heir_ to Shinra Inc is telling _me_ to 'put-my-gun-down.'" She relished the thought. "Are you high?"

Cloud sighed and placed his sword onto the floor, taking a cautious step forward. "Just do it. You're screwed anyway," he mumbled with a shrug.

Cobra laughed bitterly and twirled the gun in her hand before dropping her arm to her side. "Okay, enlighten me," she remarked coolly, her gaze locked onto Rufus's.

Rufus's lips curled into a devious smile, and he ran a hand through his hair once again. "I have a proposition for you," he began, an air of mystery surrounding him. "But perhaps you'd rather hear it from someone, let's just say…_closer_ to home?"

It was someone so unexpected that Cobra immediately lost her senses and dropped the gun in her hand.

"Barret…?"


End file.
